1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a collective monitor and control system for plural networks. More particularly, it relates to a system, in which a packet is assembled by employing user bytes in a section over head (SOH) in a synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) frame, a destination address of the packet is determined at each node, and the packet is received or repeated to collectively monitor and control plural networks, each of which forms a ring configuration.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional collective monitor and control system for plural networks. In the conventional system of FIG. 13, a first network having plural nodes NA1 to NAn connected by a transmission path LA forms a ring configuration, and a second network having plural nodes NB1 to NBm connected by a transmission path LB forms a ring configuration, and the first and second networks are independently provided, for example.
In such the network system including the plural, independent networks, a network service processor (NSP) 1 linked to the networks by cables LS1 and LS2 for monitor and control is employed to commonly monitor and control each network.
A structural example of a node, to which the network service processor 1 is connected, is shown in FIG. 14. In FIG. 14, a structural example of a node NA in the conventional system to transmit and receive a packet linked to a transmission path is illustrated in a section enclosed by a broken line. The section enclosed by a broken line is constituted by a packet extracting section 2 where a packet including control and monitor data is extracted from a transmission path LA for transmitting data having a SDH format, and a packet inserting section 8 for inserting a packet to the transmission path LA.
The section further includes a header analysis section 3, which determines whether or not the packet extracted in the packet extracting section 2 is addressed to the own node according to a transmission address of a header section of the packet. If the packet is not addressed to the own node, the packet is transmitted to a packet transmission section 7 where accumulates monitor and control data for transmission through a packet repeating section 13, or is aborted.
On the other hand, when the header analysis section 3 determines that the packet is addressed to the own node, the packet is input to a packet receiving section 4. The packet input to the packet receiving section 4 is further input to a processor section 6 through a packet transmission and reception section 5 that manages to transmit and receive the packet to execute predetermined processes in the own node.
The processor section 6 analyzes the data transmitted from the packet transmission and reception controlling section 5. If the data should be transmitted to the network service processor 1, the data is passed through a monitor and control data interface section 9 and a cable LS1, and is transmitted to the network service processor 1.
On the other hand, the processor section 6 analyzes the data transmitted through the monitor and control data interface section 9 from the network service processor 1. Then, if the data should be transmitted to the packet transmission and reception controlling section 5, the data is transmitted to the packet transmission and reception controlling section 5.
In this way, in FIG. 14, a signal is transmitted and received between a transmission device and the network service processor 1, not by a packet, but the signal is transmitted and received by firmware processing in a processor section 6.
Additionally, the packet transmitting section 7 inserts a packet looped back from the packet repeating section 13 or a monitor and control packet transmitted from the network service processor 1 in the packet inserting section 8 and transmits them to the transmission path LA.
In FIG. 14, when plural networks are monitored by the network service processor 1 linked to a monitor and control data interface section 9 of the node NA, plural ports are provided corresponding to the plural networks in the network service processor 1 to collect the monitor and control data transmitted from nodes in each network, and lump the collected data in one, or the network system in designed to collectively monitor a section of the monitor and control data by employing a modem even if the networks are located on a remote location, each other, for example.
When assuming that the monitor and control data is concentrated from the plural ports corresponding to the plural networks in the network service processor 1, a number of the ports provided on the network service processor 1 may be physically limited.
Additionally, as lengths of the cables LS1 and LS2, through which the monitor and control data is passed, may be also limited, it is difficult to realize to collectively monitor the data when the nodes in the plural networks are located each other in remote locations.
Alternatively, when connecting networks remotely located by employing the modem, a problem such that an exclusive line is required although there is no problem in a point of the distance.
Further, even when employing either of the above-described systems, a problem such that the processing speed would be low because of an intervention, such as a firmware processing in the packet transmission and reception controlling section 5 (refer to FIG. 14) in each network and a software processing in the network service processor 1. Therefore, the problem removes merit obtained by collectively monitoring a plurality of networks in one network service processor 1.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system for collectively monitor and control plural networks in hardware, in which communications can be facilitated at a high speed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a collective monitor and control for plural networks, in which plural networks are remotely located in each other, can be collectively monitored.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a collective monitor and control system for plural networks, in which a network service processor can be linked to optional nodes of all networks.
To attain the above-described objects, a basic structure of a collective monitor and control system for plural networks consists of independent plural networks, each having plural nodes formed into a ring configuration, transmission path connecting the plural networks and passing only monitor and control data, and a network service processor connected to one node of the plural networks.
In the system, the one node connected to the network service processor has a switch circuit for broadcasting the monitor and control data received from one route to other routes linked to the one node.
In one preferred mode of the present invention, the monitor and control data is taken into a time slot on a specific location of a section over head (SOH) of a synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) format, which is transmitted through the plural networks.
In other mode of the present invention, the one node has a packet extracting section assembling data transmitted from all routes into a predetermined packet, and the switch circuit includes a buffer circuit, in which packets input from all routes and assembled in the packet extracting section are written and from which the packets are read out, in the order of input.
Additionally, in the present invention, the one node further includes mask circuits on the input side of the switch circuit corresponding to all routes, and the mask circuits regulate and control packets input from optional routes.
Further, other objects of the present invention become clear by the description for explaining embodiments according to the attached drawings.